On this week’s Associated Press Top 25 ladies’s basketball ballot, launched on Monday, there’s a shakeup within the high 5 following a uncommon convention loss from a powerhouse program.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the ballot:
Texas strikes up after making assertion; South Carolina drops two spots
In a tightly contested battle between two of the highest groups within the SEC, the Longhorns (24-2, 10-1 SEC) picked up an enormous win at dwelling over the Gamecocks to avenge a previous loss to South Carolina on Jan. 12. The win strikes Texas up one spot to No. 3.
Impressively, Texas gained the sport with out making a three-pointer, changing into the first team to do so in opposition to an AP high 5 opponent since UConn went 0-of-9 in opposition to Oklahoma within the 2002 nationwide championship recreation. That might be an issue in nearer video games down the stretch, however it didn’t forestall the Longhorns from getting a signature win on Sunday.
For South Carolina (22-2, 10-1 SEC), down two spots to No. 4, the loss snapped a 17-game profitable streak. The 66-62 loss to Texas was South Carolina’s first common season loss in convention play in 57 video games.
Whereas the remainder of South Carolina’s schedule is manageable with solely two ranked opponents remaining, this staff should shoot higher (36.8% on Sunday) and get off to a greater begin. In every of its two losses this season, South Carolina has not led at any level throughout these video games.
UConn falls after shedding to longtime rivals
Though the Huskies (22-3, 13-0 Large East), down two spots to No. 7, closed out the week with a 77-40 rout of Windfall on Sunday, it was an 80-76 setback to then-No. 19 Tennessee on Thursday that tripped them up.
In that loss, UConn shockingly allowed a season-high 42 factors within the paint and shot 26.7% from outdoors the paint. Though it appears seemingly that UConn can end out Large East play undefeated, its three losses to non-conference opponents present there’s nonetheless work to be carried out.
With No. 4 South Carolina looming on Sunday, the Huskies should discover a approach to restrict manufacturing within the paint, or it might be a lot of the identical going ahead for UConn.
NC State continues climb up rankings after dominant street win
Following its 97-74 street win over then-No. 22 Florida State on Sunday, NC State (19-4, 11-1 ACC) has gained eight straight video games, together with back-to-back over ranked opponents. The Wolfpack transfer up 4 spots to No. 10.
The 23-point blowout was this system’s largest street win over a ranked staff since a 90-65 win over No. 15 South Carolina throughout the 1989-90 season. Per NCAA.com, Florida State is the highest-scoring staff within the nation (92.1 PPG), making NC State’s efficiency stand out much more.
Having scored a minimum of 80 factors in six of their eight video games throughout the profitable streak, the Wolfpack are exhibiting they’ll win on each side of the ball.
Tennessee strikes up 4 spots regardless of combined outcomes
Though the Woman Vols took down previously-No. 5 UConn on Thursday, they fell to then-No. 6 LSU in an 82-77 thriller on Sunday. The loss was Tennessee’s second to LSU this season — each by a mixed seven factors.
Regardless of the slender loss on Sunday, Tennessee (17-6, 4-6 SEC) nonetheless strikes up 4 spots to No. 15 within the ballot. That’s largely attributable to its margin of defeat in every of these convention losses, which have all been by seven factors or much less.
If Tennessee retains dominating within the paint prefer it did in each video games final week, this might be a harmful staff in March that has confirmed it might dangle with anybody.
Creighton the best newcomer to the ballot
After beginning the season 1-2, Creighton (20-4, 12-1 Large East), ranked No. 24, enters the ballot having gained 19 of its final 21 video games.
With its solely losses coming to top-ranked UCLA and a top-10 UConn staff, the Bluejays proceed to impress. If senior guards Lauren Jensen (18 PPG) and Morgan Maly (17.5 PPG) keep their manufacturing, this staff has the potential to make some noise.
